Asif Malik
Srinagar, Sep 23 (KNS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said education and healthcare are the two foundational pillars for the development and future of children in the Union Territory, and stressed that the government must prioritise strengthening both sectors.
Addressing a programme in connection with ALOHA NLC 2026 Kashmir here, CM Omar as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) congratulated participating students and appreciated the efforts of parents and teachers in helping children compete at the national level and return with prizes.
He said raising children and keeping them focused on education has become increasingly challenging in the age of smartphones, multiple television channels and digital entertainment.
"Today, it is very difficult to keep children engaged and interested in one thing. Our attention spans have become very short," he said, recalling that children during his time had fewer entertainment options and generally spent their time studying or playing outdoors.
CM Omar Abdullah said the achievements of children at national-level competitions reflected the efforts of their parents and teachers.
"The foundation of everything is our education. What can we achieve without education? Education and health are the two things that matter most," he said.
He said the government must focus on improving both the education and healthcare systems so that investments in other sectors could produce meaningful results.
Referring to the rapid developments in artificial intelligence, the chief minister said the education system must keep pace with emerging technologies.
He said the government and education stakeholders need to examine how new developments, including artificial intelligence, can be incorporated into the curriculum and syllabus to equip students with skills required for the future.
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also highlighted the challenge of student retention at the secondary and higher secondary levels in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said while the performance and retention of students at the primary and middle-school levels was comparable with the national level, the retention rate declines when students move from middle school to high school and subsequently to higher secondary level.
"Until we fix this, we are compromising with the future of our children," he said.
The chief minister also called for greater cooperation between government and private schools, saying education should not be viewed as a competition between the two sectors.
"This is not a competition between private and government schools. We have to work together because these are our children. Whether they study in government schools or private schools, they are our children. They are the future of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
CM Omar also extended his best wishes to the students and expressed hope that they would continue to achieve success in their future endeavours. (KNS)
Politics,Crime,Health,Business,Sports,City,Education,Entertainment,International,National,